November is American Indian and Alaskan Native Heritage Month. At DCBS, we celebrate the culture, traditions, and heritage of these remarkable Americans who deeply enrich the quality and character of our country. This month is also an opportune time to educate ourselves about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native Americans have confronted historically and today in the economy, health, and education, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.
While preparing to write this message and researching on what to share, I had two options: sending you information of interest or information that educates all of us on the challenges facing Native American people. I decided for the second one if we want change. After last year, the pandemic again exposed and amplified longstanding racial and class inequalities.
I found this article and more by the Center for American Progress: “American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) women in the United States who work full time and year-round are paid 40 percent less than white, non-Hispanic men working comparable hours, making just 60 cents for every dollar earned by their white male counterparts. These disparities can differ substantially across various regions and tribes. Over a 40-year career, an individual AIAN woman stands to lose almost $1 million in wages due to the wage gap.” Also visit
Native Hope.
With the upcoming Veterans Day on Nov. 11, a day of reflection upon the heroism of those who have served our nation, I took the opportunity to talk with Nancy Pine, case manager and a veteran serving her fellow veterans at Vetcare Veterans Home and Resource Center. Our Vets need us. Give to a Vet!
She shared with me about the Navajo Code Talkers, so wanting to honor these people, I discovered extensive information on Code Talkers and Navajos Natives. There were more than 14 nations, including Cherokee and Comanche. For more visit the
American Indian Code Talkers | The National WWII Museum | New Orleans.
In an upcoming blog post look for an article by Kent Landgraver from Oregon OSHA: “Hi, my name is Kent and I am a veteran and a retired Oregon Army National Guardsman. I have been mobilized for 2 forest fires, one wind storm, a double hurricane, 3 overseas tours for which I earned 6 campaign stars and countless training events over a 31-year period, which today is still more than half my life…” Please follow the complete article in the next
blog post.
American veterans have done everything asked of them in their mission to serve our country and it is never too late to thank them and their families for their sacrifices. For this, the DCBS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council is honored to recognize our colleagues below:
- Laura Burns
- Harry Lund
- Scott Martin
- Luis Benitez-Alicea
- Brent Viglione
- Jeremy Williams
- Glenn Schworak
- Mark Munson
- Oscar Gonzalez
- Catherine Potter
- Robert Adams
- Jay Holt
- Debra Stokes
- Dave Unsell
- Val Mueller
- Tom Clark
- Brad Mcmahan
- Micah Ashby
- Geoff WHALLEY
- Mary Peel
- Thomas Klug
- Rod Craig
- Chris Vest
- Shane Wyer
- Ben Adams
- Graham Roney
- Dwayne Edsinga
- Chad Weathers
- George Harris
- Larry Husky
- Larry Rutter
- Douglas Sedwick
- Craig Brown
- Darren Morris
- Darrin Taylor
- Ron Knox
- Matthew Newell
- Gina Farley
- Brian Hauck
- Jordan Lambert
- Nancy Cody
- Jason Flanagan
- Jeff Green
- Sterling Cobb
- Daniel Tucker
- Misti Timshel
- Jennifer Reding
- Cassandra Sanchez Stream
- Chris James
- Jesse Allen
- Justin Fuller
- Denise Ricketts
- Kent Landgraver
- Jeff Luyet
- Fred Childers
- Nick Corvus
- Doug Schneider
- Dave Mclaughlin
- Ron Haverkost
- Moisés Ceja
- Michael Jarrett
- Sofia Parra
- Stan Wisniewski
- Beau Lintner